Tennessee Governor Bill Lee extended the emergency order this afternoon for the state’s “continued treatment and containment of COVID-19” until September 30, 2020.

The order extends the following provisions:

• Urge persons to wear a cloth face covering in places where in close proximity to others, while facilitating local decision-making concerning face covering requirements
• Urge social distancing and limit social and recreational gatherings of 50 or more persons, unless adequate social distancing can be maintained;
• Limit nursing home and long-term-care facility visitation, while providing a framework for safe, limited visitation, and continue the closure of senior centers
• Provide that employers and businesses are expected to comply with the Governor’s Economic Recovery Group Guidelines (e.g., Tennessee Pledge) for operating safely (the 6 counties with locally run county health departments have authority to issue different directives on businesses/venues)
• Provide that bars may only serve customers seated at appropriately spaced tables and must follow the Economic Recovery Group Guidelines (e.g., Tennessee Pledge) for restaurants.
• Continue access take-out alcohol sales to encourage carryout and delivery orders
• Allow broad access to telehealth services
• Increase opportunities for people to easily join the healthcare workforce
• Facilitate increased testing and health care capacity
• Extend deadlines and suspend certain in-person continuing education, gathering, or inspection requirements to avoid unnecessary person-to-person contact
• Increase opportunities to work remotely where appropriate.